It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. Proverbs 25:2

Posts tagged ‘God’s glory’

 The Awesome Love of God                        

Love is truly the one universal language. The expression of Love is understood no matter what country, culture or dialect it may be, and every people group has a way of expressing their love to others. The ability to know love is an awesome gift from God.  Natural love is something that is shared, imparted and communicated not only to those who are in love but it is also felt by the people around them. But, through of the power of the Holy Spirit God has given us a supernatural love and by this Spirit we have the ability to love others as God has loved us. 

1 John 4:12-16 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.  By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.  And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.  And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. NKJ

This love that we experience and share is the expression of the character of God Himself. God who is the total embodiment, picture and example of love, gave us the ability to show love, tobe loved, and to comprehend the love of others.

This is such a gracious gift from God, He could have made us without emotions and without the ability to express and experience love. But God in His awesome love and great compassion for us, gave us the capacity to know the natural love of humanity and through the power of the Holy Spirit we have the ability to display and show the supernatural love of God to others. Just as He has loved His creation and His people, we too have this ability to love others as He has loved us. 

John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. NK

2 Corinthians 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. NKJ

God saw the depravity of fallen mankind and the hopelessness of our lost state. His great compassion recognized our need to be saved from eternal destruction.  Because of God’s awesome Love for humanity, He gave His best and sent His only begotten Son, Jesus. Jesus came into the world to seek and to save those who would come to believe through faith in Christ for the forgiveness of their sins.  

1 John 4:7-11 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.   In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.NKJ

We can see and observe the natural love a parent has for a child or child for a parent. We can feel the love intuitively, or just through the absorption of feelings of the love between a beloved and their cherished one. That is why we like to read novels and watch movies about the simple interaction of love,which is expressed from one person to another and this is a gift from God. 

Jude 1:21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. NKJ

Again, just as we are able to communicate love to others in our natural state, God has given us the ability to show the supernatural love of God to others through the power of the Holy Spirit. The supernatural love of God transcends and surpasses natural attachments and bonds. God’s Holy Spiritliving in us knits His love in our hearts for others, that they may know and see His love for them through us.

Colossians 2:2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, NKJ

Galatians 2:20 have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me  NKJ

As we grow in our knowledge of God and His love for us, God’s love is rooted in us and flows through us and spreads abroad.  

1 Thessalonians 1:3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, NKJ

Romans 5:5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. NKJ

Out of the love God has for us, Jesus came and fulfilled the law of God in the Old Testament and paid all the sin debt that we owed because of our rebellion against God. And in the New Testament Jesus has given us this commandment, to love one another as He has loved us. That is selflessly and generously, putting the welfare of others before ourselves.  

John 15: 12-13This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. NKJ

In showing the awesomeness of God’s love;

We are to reveal the love of God to others.

We are to reflect the glory of God in the earth.

We are to resemble the character and likeness of God in our daily lives.

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How To Reflect and Reveal God’s Glory in Our Lives!

o reflect is to mirror or echo what is seen or heard. To reveal is to make known, to tell or to uncover a thing that is hidden. We reflect and reveal God’s personality, His character, His likeness and His glory through our daily relationships with God our Father, Jesus Christ and with all others who we encounter.  

When mankind was created they had the Spirit of God livingwithin them. They were created in His likeness, in His image and was in a personal and constant communion and relationship with God as their Creator. But, the day Adam and Eve disobeyed God their Creator, their God like Spirit died within them and they were no longer the perfect beings God created. The Holy Spirit of God’s presence left mankind and we were no longer a complete reflection of God’s glory nor walked in the perfect likeness of God our Creator.

John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. NKJ

Ezekiel 9:3 Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the temp

Though mankind’s created purpose was to reflect and reveal God’s likeness and His glory on the earth, Adam and Eve lost their “Shekinah glory” or “God’s light” that indwelled them from creation until they sinned against God. Mankind was no longer in a close relationship or communion with God, their sin had separated them from God and they no longer had the light of His presence within them.

Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.  NKJV

From the fall of mankind humanity was separated from their God and only through the priest of God offering sacrifices for their sins were they able to cover their sins for a season. They were in an estranged relationship with their God and Creator. God always desired a relationship with His people. God’s Spirit would come upon those who were chosen to serve Him but His Spirit would not stay with them nor indwell them continually.  Mankind lived in darkness apart from God until Jesus came to restore followers of Christ back into a close family relationship with God as their Father. 

1 Samuel 16:14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the LORD troubled him.

God has sent Jesus as the Son of Man and the Son of God to pay the penalties for our sins and to destroy the wall that separated us from our God and Creator. When we are ready to acknowledge our sins and ask God to forgive us, then we can ask Jesus to be our Lord and Savior and save us from our sins.Through faith we believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died for our sins and we are then adopted into the family of God.

Romans 10:9-11 hat if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”

Like any relationship, we tend to mimic and imitate, resemble and duplicate the character, qualities and temperament of the people we constantly associate with. The most important relationship in a person’s life is that of parent and child. In this relationship a person learns who they are through their association and they are taught, either deliberately or just by involvement how respond or react to many of life’s situations.    

No one is born with programmed biases, prejudices or affinities but these are taught or learned through family or life experiences. A person may not be aware of their personal partialities, slants and inclinations or they may not be aware of the fact that they are transmitting these beliefs to those around them. But it is in these close relationships that our character and beliefs are cultivated and established and they are reflected in our daily actions. 

Through faith in Christ, we now have the ability to have an even greater relationship with God. Not just as Creator but now we can become children of God, and He will be our Father, our Heavenly Father. Some may have been abandoned or orphanedby our natural parents. Or may have been lead in the way of the accursed things of this world by those who were supposed toteach us the ways of righteousness.  But now as children of the Most-High God and as part of the family of Christ we are given the Holy Spirit to lead us in all things pertaining to God our Father and His righteousness. 

Ephesians 1:3-6 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,  just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,   having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

Jesus gives us the opportunity and the ability to be adopted into the family of God. The thought of adoption may have a negative connotation in the natural world, but it is a word of wonder and splendor in the spirit realm. To be adopted in God’s family, to be one who is chosen by the Almighty God Jehovah to be His child. What an awesome concept to ponder! We areno longer identified by our natural inclinations, cultures or nationality but we are spiritually transformed beyond our nature to be in a family relationship with God as our Father.    

Romans 9:4 who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; 

Romans 8:23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

Reflecting God’s glory is not something we do, but it is something we become.  Because we are in a constant and close relationship with God we are persistently and perpetuallylearning His character, His ways and His integrity. The light of God’s glory, His “Shekinah glory” permeates, floods and fills our spirit, soul and body. Oftentimes, without being aware or having conscious knowledge, we reveal and reflect His glory in the world around us. Just as Moses’ face shone with the light of God’s glory after he left the presence of God, so are we spiritually. When we are constantly in God’s presence through prayer and the meditating of His word, so the light of His presence will shine through us also.

Exodus 34: 29 Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses’ hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him. 

35, And whenever the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone, then Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with Him.

In the natural, when people go and live in a different culture orstay around those who speak a different language, they toobegin to speak with that same accent or speech. After being immersed in a new society or culture over a period of time, some people may begin to reflect the values of that culturewithout them realizing it. It is the same spiritually. God wants to be in a close relationship with us and from this relationship His light shines upon us and we absorb His glory, which is reflected in our daily lives. This is not something we see in ourselves or something we set out to do. We just “be” who we are, we just “live” our lives and be ourselves, learning who we are through our relationship and fellowship with God.

2 Corinthian 3:18But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

As we are in a relationship with God as our Father, His glory, wisdom and character are being developed within us while we are in His presence. God’s glory is reflected and echoed throughout the sphere, domain or circle in which we live. We reveal God’s love, peace and character by the way we live. Our lives tell God’s story to a lost world, when we love the unlovely, forgive the unforgiving and when we pray for those who spitefully misuse us.  

Matthew 5:44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

2 Peter 3:8-9 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, betenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

Sometimes we may be the only voice crying out in the wilderness or in the desolate place of someone’s life. Our lives may also be the only light that is seen in our families, our placeof work or our society, where people may live in gross darkness and even in some very foul and dark situations.    

God has sent Christ so that we can be in a close relationship with God as our Father. We can constantly reveal and reflect God’s glory and who He is, by just being who we are. Becauseour life is God’s glory!

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The Christ In You Is the Hope of God’s Glory

The glory of God’s splendor, abundance and fullness was in the world He created and mankind was the crowning glory of all His creation. Mankind who once walked in the fullness of God’s majesty and marvel, was now enslaved to the wickednessand dreadfulness of Satan and sin. Humanity was created in His image and likeness and with God’s glory upon them. The enemy came and seduced mankind and lead them astray. Satan then supplanted and replaced God’s glory with his darkness, pride and lies. God did not leave us without the hope of His Glory returning and promised us a Redeemer, a Savior and a Deliverer who would bring us back into the family of God for His glory.   

Genesis 1:26a, Then God said, “Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, over the cattle, over all the earth….NKJ

Genesis 28a Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it: have dominion…. NKJ

Mankind became accursed under the dominion of Satan who hates all who are created in God’s image and has set systems and snares to derail their purpose and has tried to twist them into his perverted image of pride and hate. This world system was hijacked by Satan and all humanity was ensnared, captured and enslaved when Satan seized dominion of this world from Adam. 

God did not create mankind depraved and they are born unsullied but many are taught wrong, touched wrong and live in a society full of hate. They become a product of the life they were born into and the things they experienced. Satan ruled in the age of darkness until the light of God came in the life of Christ, who came to set us free and to open our eyes to the light and the truth of God’s word.   

Some people question why would God hold a person accountable for their actions when Satan and the acts of hateful men have twisted their mind into thinking that way? Because God has always provided a way of escape from the schemes of the enemy and has given everyone a will and the ability to choose to take the way out or to stay in that fallen state of being. It is the natural state of fallen mankind to want to get revenge and live in unforgiveness toward those who wronged us. It is our pride that wants to vindicate itself but it is not God’s kingdom way. Christ is our example and we look to Him to show us the way and we must choose to live in humbleness and forgiveness. 

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able , but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. NKJ 

1 Peter2:23 and while being abusively insulted, He did not insult in return; while suffering, He did not threaten, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; NASB 

God has always had representatives in the earth to show His way, His word and His righteousness. From the beginning with Abel, to the Jewish nation and the prophets to Christ, God has always provided an example to the world and to show the way of salvation.  It has always been the choice of every person to choose whether they will remain in their fallen mind set or to let go and choose to obey the light of God’s word. 

Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; NKJ

Jesus came and lived a life, to not only set us free from sin, butto show us the way of the Father.  He also gave us the power to live a righteous life through faith in the power of the Holy Spirit.   We all had to grow up in an evil world and may have suffered as a person who was treated wrong, handled and touched wrong or was hated unjustly. But we all will come into an age of accountability and we will decide how we will handle those hurts, whether we will let our past affect our present and our future or to let go, forgive and trust God.  

We may choose to live in a way that allows our pastexperiences to dictate our present mindset or we can let the love and the forgiveness of God be our standard. Some people will let what has happened to them as a child or in their past speak louder into their life than the word of God and who they are now in the family of God. We should release the past hurts and live in the new life we have in Christ. 

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. NKJ

When we are born into the kingdom of God old things are passed away and we become a new creation. Now the responsibility is no longer of the depraved or demented person who harmed us, but now we must decide who will reign supreme in our lives, our past or Christ. When the love of God becomes our motive, we will no longer live for our selfish motives, for our rights or for the love of men, but we will live a life that will draw people to Christ and brings glory to God.  When we express the love God has shown to us through Christto others, this will give the hope of God’s love for them.  

Romans 8:17 and if children, then heirs- heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. If indeed we suffer with him that we may also be glorified together. NKJ

The riches of God’s grace were sent in the person of Christ into the world that He would seek and save those who were lost. The mystery of God is that non-Hebrews could now be saved and become joint heirs in the household of God. God is still sending His people into the word today through the life of Christ that others may see the love of God in them and this can become the hope of His glory in their lives. The Christ in us is sent to save deliver and rescue those who are in bondage. We may suffer injustices like Christ, but it is the love of God that is shown through us and the love that is given unconditionally to others that gives hope to those who are lost. 

The love of Christ in us can bring redemption, salvation and deliverance to people from their past devastation, presentsituation or future demise and possible failures. 

Colossians 1:27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. NKJ

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